Karski Quartet 

Kaja Nowak, violin (1989 Belgium/Poland)

Natalia Kotarba, violin (1990 Belgium/Poland)

Diede Verpoest, viola (1992 Belgium)

Julia Kotarba, cello (1990 Poland)

Rapidly gaining recognition on the international music scene for its passionate interpretations of works ranging from Haydn to 21st century repertoire, the Karski Quartet was formed in Belgium in 2018 and performs in a wide range of venues across Europe.

The quartet’s founding members are violinists Kaja Nowak and Natalia Kotarba, violinist and violist Diede Verpoest and cellist Julia Kotarba. Having played with one another in many different combinations, the four met as a quartet during the 2018 Resonances Festival Academy. Soon after they were awarded the Grand Prix as well as the Special Prize for the alumni of the Royal Conservatory in Brussels at the 4th International Music Competition Triomphe de l’Art in Brussels.

Since the inception of the quartet their mentors have been David Waterman, Philippe Graffin and Amy Norrington. In January 2019 the quartet joined the String Quartet Studio programme at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, working closely with Donald Grant (Elias Quartet) and other members of the RNCM Chamber Music faculty. Since September 2019 Karski Quartet is Artist in Residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Waterloo/Brussels, studying with Gregor Sigl et Vineta Sareika, members of the Artemis Quartet and Miguel da Silva, while also continuing their residency at the RNCM under the umbrella of the European Chamber Music Academy within the new ECMAster study programme.

Karski Quartet takes its name from Jan Karski, the legendary World War II resistance-movement figure. Commited as he was to showing others the dramatic truth about the war, the Karski Quartet members strongly believe that every era needs heroes like him. Amid the serious difficulties which the whole human population is facing now, they find Karski’s profound compassion and uncompromising attitude an example to be emulated in art as well as in life.

The Karski Quartet benefits from a scholarship granted by the Borgerhoff Fund